Customer Reviews

Pete Seeger's Rainbow Quest with Judy Collins and Elizabeth Cotten

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AT LAST A DVD WITH JUDY COLLINS IN 1965 !

GOOD SOUND AND IMAGE. PETE SEEGER AND HIS HOSTS ARE SO NATURAL AND SYMPATHETIC !

JUDY WAS BETWEEN HER N°4 & 5 ALBUM. GREAT SONGS OFTEN DUETTING WITH PETE. TWO STUNNIG SONGS : "RUSSIAN LOVE SONG" IN RUSSIAN WITH PETE AT THE BANJO (SOUNDS LIKE A BALALAÏKA) AND "BOB DYLAN'S DREAM" ONLY RECORDED LATELY ON "JUDY COLLINS SINGS DYLAN".

AN INTERVIEW WITH A GUITAR MAKER INTERESTED IN CLASSICAL MUSIC (SEGOVIA) WITH "JEUX INTERDITS' THEME" S IS VERY CONVINCING.

ROSA VALENTIN & RAFAEL MARTINEZ REMIND "RENAISSANCE VIHUELA MUSIC" IN SPAIN IN THE GOLDEN AGES (XVIth CENTURY) & SING SPANISH & CARRIBEAN FOLKSONGS. NOT FORGETTING THE MAN HIMSELF, PETE, WITH "GUANTANAMERA"...

ELISABETH COTTON, LEFT HANDED, DID NOT INVERT THE CORDS, SO SHE CREATED "COTTEN PICKING" (instead of cotton pickin') : VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE

SHE USES A THUMB/INDEX TECHNIQUE WHICH LOOKS PARTLY LIKE RENAISSANCE LUTE FINGERING. HER SONG "FREIGHT TRAIN" IS WELL KNOWN, EVEN IN EUROPE.

IN A SENTENCE : IMPROVISATION, FUNNY STORIES, MUSICAL JOURNEY, FOR LOVE'S SAKE !

THANK YOU SO MUCH, PETE ! YOU HEARTILY DESERVE THE "GRAND PRIX DU DISQUE ACADEMIE CHARLES CROS" YOU WON WITH YOUR AMERICAN FAVORITE BALLADS AND HELPED SO MUCH TO MAKE "FOLK SONG REVIVAL" THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

In a year that has featured various 90th birthday celebrations it is very appropriate to review some of the 1960's television work of Pete Seeger, one of the premier folk anthologists, singers, transmitters of the tradition and "keeper" of the folk flame. This DVD is a "must see" for anyone who is interested in the history of the folk revival of the 1960's, the earnest, folksy style of Pete Seeger or the work of folksinger Judy Collins, especially doing her renditions of a couple of early Bob Dylan songs (and how they were reworked by him from older traditional tunes) and her classic cover of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now".

Also included on this DVD is the legendary Elizabeth Cotton, a musician that I have reviewed extensively elsewhere in this space, showing us her unusual guitar-picking style and regaling us with "Wilson's Rag" and her own classic, make that super-classic, folk song, Freight Train". Additionally, Pete, as an early exponent of what is now called "world music" brings in some lesser known Spanish guitarists and assists them in singing the well-known Spanish song written by the Cuban nationalist Jose Marti, "Guantanamera"

This DVD contains some very interesting and, perhaps, rare television film footage from two of Pete Seeger shows, packaged in one DVD, entitled "Rainbow Quest". Each show is introduced (and ends, as well) by Pete singing his old classic "If I Had A Golden Threat" and then he proceeds to introduce, play guitar and banjo and sing along with the above-mentioned artists.

One final note: This is a piece of folk history. Pete Seeger is a folk legend. However, the production values here are a bit primitive and low budget. Moreover, for all his stature as a leading member of the folk pantheon Pete was far from the ideal host. His halting speaking style and almost bashful manner did not draw his guests out. Let's just put it this way the production concept used then would embarrass a high school television production class today. But, Pete, thanks for the history lesson.

I much enjoyed watching this old show with the younger folk singers.Judy Collins was just great,as is Pete Seeger and his guests.It's preserving of our history.